tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post915549860131456653..comments2024-03-27T22:32:02.739+01:00Comments on Beneath the Stains of Time: Case Closed: A Response to Patrick_O and PharmmajorTomCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-22529251306675689852011-04-12T13:44:33.002+02:002011-04-12T13:44:33.002+02:00Hey, Pharmmajor here. Just read your blog and thou...Hey, Pharmmajor here. Just read your blog and thought about what you said. I suppose I should have put more research into evaluating just how successful detective manga was here in America compared to the other genres. It is a shame that so many great manga haven't come over here (Spiral is the most recent release I've found that could be considered close to a mystery manga).<br /><br />You raise some great points about the static nature of the relationship between Jimmy-as-Conan and Rachel. I didn't touch on this because I haven't read past the English translated volumes (which I believe only go up to 36), so I wasn't aware the situation between them hadn't changed much. If it's still the same near volume 60, then I'd agree with you that Aoyama definitely needs to change things up regarding their dynamic. Truth be told, the longevity of the series never bothered me because I enjoy a good long-running detective series (Hercule Poirot, Gideon Fell) as long as it doesn't remain static. <br /><br />Finally, you do raise a valid point regarding how the stylized art and more fantastic elements might throw off more serious-minded mystery fans, which is a shame because that would prevent them from enjoying a great series. What would you recommend as a means of convincing them to look past the sci-fi themes of body-changing chemicals and super advanced gadgetry?<br /><br />Thanks again for your feedback. I will be sure to take your advice into consideration in order to improve my reviews. Take care.<br /><br />JimJameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11439396562879158519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-73264188207178329612011-04-10T23:14:10.695+02:002011-04-10T23:14:10.695+02:00I think you're perfectly justified in being an...I think you're perfectly justified in being annoyed. I'm a bit surprised at myself, really, for the way I wrote my bits. I can't really say much about how my partner phrased his portions, since the final edit and so on were up to him. I'll be sure to let you know if I hear back from him about this post.<br /><br />I suppose you have a point about figuring stuff out about a series as you read it or whatnot, but I really did not look up anything of the sort. I didn't spot anything wrong with that introductory phrase- I take the blame for not looking up anything on the subject, but not knowing anything about it, the sentence didn't particularly jump out at me.<br /><br />Still, great to have you point this unfortunate incident out, and I'll be sure to use the stuff I've learned here in the future. After all, there's always more crime to talk about...<br /><br />On a lighter (and somewhat related) note, I can say with 95% certainty that I will be able to order a few Paul Halters for my birthday. John's comment about serial-killer stories in the Yahoo group has got me instantly intrigued. And here I was thinking they were merely impossible crime novels... Ah, the advantages of knowing French... ;)Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-28300341522075589472011-04-10T22:59:52.857+02:002011-04-10T22:59:52.857+02:00Darn it, forgot to mention that you're correct...Darn it, forgot to mention that you're correct on the Chesterton comment, but it was made in reference to Flambeau and that was what I meant.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-45374240121296761862011-04-10T22:55:20.018+02:002011-04-10T22:55:20.018+02:00Quick response:
Well, I'm not intimately fam...Quick response: <br /><br />Well, I'm not intimately familiar with manga, either, but there are certain things you cotton on when you follow a series or a certain genre, however, when I read the "<i>over the past few decades</i>" comment I just knew the article would be a downhill slide from there on – and when I saw some very familiar comments regurgitated, without being build upon, I was more than just a little bit annoyed. I understand that you have to dumb things down for a general audience, but this was just going into the deep end. Maybe I'm too harsh. I don’t know. It just annoyed the heck out of me... still does.<br /><br />The time discrepancy is more important to Case Closed than to Rex Stout, because it hasn't a direct bearing on the relationship between Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin – unless you put any stock in the theory that they are lovers (which I don't think is the case, since Archie doesn't seem to be the type that's attracted to sagging breasts – male or female). <br /><br />Anyhow, I'm glad you're not taking my little rant as a personal attack, which wasn't meant that way at all, and hope to learn what your writing partner thinks of it. Will he be responding to this? I first wanted to post a link as a comment, but I didn't want to register an account just for that.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-55010086053188001472011-04-10T15:54:47.342+02:002011-04-10T15:54:47.342+02:00I am not intimately familiar myself with the detec...I am not intimately familiar myself with the detective manga and its popularity in Japan. As I said before, I historically have disliked manga, and Case Closed was the first one that I got into in any way. I plead ignorance there.<br /><br />The purpose of the blog post, really, was to discuss favourite characters, stories, and so on. Thus, I neglected to mention smaller, more subtle things such as the nod to Chesterton (with the quote about detectives being mere critics- I think it was actually Aristide Valentin who ruminated along those lines...) considering the bulk of the audience reading would be unfamiliar with classic detective fiction. (There would be a few exceptions, of course, but most of the readers at the site would not fall under this heading.) It would be akin to discussing advanced theoretical physics with someone who can't understand the point about gravity making everything fall at the same rate. In addition, this was a discussion that we agreed to make as spoiler-free as possible, and so, discussions such as the problem with the first Harley Hartwell locked-room murder were avoided or vaguely worded.<br /><br />I'm rather surprised to discover, now that I read and compare, how similarly I worded my comment about the double digits to yours. Do not think I was merely stealing your words- that's genuinely how it struck me., and the way I consequently phrased it. "The Moonlight Sonata Murder Case" was the first sign of a creative, atmospheric story, but it was with the 11th volume, with the inverted murder at the TV studio and the story about the goblin-murder where the stories got really good. I barely glanced at your comments on the series until I got somewhere around the 15th volume or so.<br /><br />When it comes to the time discrepancy, I honestly did not care at all. I found it a nice move, like Rex Stout deciding to ignore that silly little thing called time in his Nero Wolfe novels, but nothing that necessarily had to be brought up. The Conan/Rachel relationship doesn't really change that much, true, but the strong writing makes it seem very fresh every time, to me at least. Well, except in that recent Valentine murder case, which was just dull routine. Still, I love the dynamic between the duo and there are plenty of other great character relationships to look at: Conan/Anita, for instance, who are in a similar boat with two entirely different attitudes about the situation.<br /><br />To be perfectly honest, I'm glad you chose to be harsh and critical. I may be only 17, but that doesn't mean I respond to critcism with a pout and angrily stomping around. Instead, I welcome it as an opportunity to improve. It makes me glad you're actually reading my posts instead of simply nodding in agreement with anything I write.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.com